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Santa Clarita Valley sheriff’s deputies are asking residents to donate Thanksgiving food, decorations and notes of encouragement next week for families and seniors in need during the holidays.

“These are families that the deputies have actually identified as families in need,” said Deputy Laurie Baylis. “Some of them don’t qualify for maybe public assistance or other programs ... but they’re still (families) that could maybe use some help.”

The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is collecting gift baskets for families, “Boxes of Blessings” for seniors and individual food items from Nov. 16 through Nov. 21, according to a station bulletin.

Deputies ask that each family gift basket includes food from an approved shopping list, a table cloth or homemade centerpiece, napkin products and a personal note, the bulletin said.

“Boxes of blessings” for seniors can include items such as restaurant gift certificates, crossword puzzles, Thanksgiving decorations, canned goods, blankets and toiletries.

Residents can also drop off individual food items from the shopping list posted on the station’s Web site.About 25 families are selected to receive gift baskets, Baylis said.

Additional baskets and other donated items will be given to the Santa Clarita Valley Food Pantry, the Hunger Defense Fund and the GRANDS Program, according to the bulletin.

“You want (the recipients) to be able to feel like they’re just like everybody else on that day,” she added.

Baylis said residents donated about 60 gift baskets and 100 “Boxes of Blessings” last year.

To view the approved shopping list, more specific donation item guidelines and directions about how to wrap the baskets and boxes, visit www.scvsheriff.com.

For more questions, contact the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station at (661) 255-1121 or Deputy Laurie Baylis at (661) 799-5164.